The BHWET team is pleased to announce that the application period for admission into the 2026-2027 student cohort begins on Thursday, January 29the, 2026. The application window closes at 11:59pm on Sunday, February 15th, 2026. Late applications will not be considered. Below, please find and carefully review eligibility requirements and other information as well as detailed application instructions.
Important Dates
- Wednesday, January 28th, 2026, from 5:30-7:00PM (Mountain Time): BHWET program director Dr. Mary-Ann Sontag will host a virtual information session to provide a program overview, explain the application process, and answer any program questions. If you are unable to attend, a recording will be posted here.
- Thursday, January 29th, 2026: BHWET student application period begins. To apply, see ‘application instructions’ below.
- Sunday, February 15th, 2026, 11:59pm: Application period closes. You will need to have submitted your application before 11:59PM on this day. Late applications will not be considered.
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Monday, March 02nd, 2026, 1:00-4:00pm: BHWET student interview day at Missoula College in Missoula, MT. *All applicants must be able to attend the interview day in-person unless alternative arrangements have already been made*
Student Eligibility Requirements
A successful BHWET candidate is currently enrolled in one of four behavioral health training programs at the University of Montana or Montana State University:
- Masters in Social Work
- Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling
- Doctor of Psychology
- Doctor of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practice
Additional eligibility requirements include:
- Applicants must be in good academic standing within their program. A student’s overall progress toward degree completion will be considered in evaluating applications.
- Applicants from the departments of social work and counseling must be in their second year of study or equivalent.
- Psychology doctoral students (clinical or school) should have completed at least one year of 534 practicum before entering a BHWET placement. This means that Clinical students would be in at least their third year and School doctoral students in their fourth year in their respective training programs when they begin their BHWET placement. Preference will be given to students with advanced standing in their academic program, as defined by meeting program requirements and gaining supervised experience in behavioral health service provision.
- Applicants seeking the degree of doctor of psychiatric mental health nurse practice should be entering their final rotation(s).
*Note: applying and interviewing does not guarantee a BHWET site placement. In some cases, site placement interviews may occur in addition to BHWET program interviews. BHWET faculty and staff can help to facilitate site interviews.
Other Information for Applicants
The BHWET team is committed to ensuring that every student who meets the eligibility requirements feels welcome to apply. We encourage applications from students traditionally underrepresented in higher education and in professional health care settings.
As behavioral health care providers, BHWET interns will need to think on their feet, adapting quickly to new clients and circumstances. Our student interview process therefore utilizes a rotating group interview format to facilitate dynamic interactions among applicants and faculty.
If you are unsure if this format meets your needs as an applicant, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. The BHWET team remains committed to ensuring that all students feel welcome to apply and supported through the application and interview process.
2026-2027 Application Instructions
The following items are required for application to the BHWET program. Instructions for uploading them follow immediately.
- Letter of interest
- CV
- Attestation of Good Academic Standing(transcripts are not required. A personal statement such as, ‘I am in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress toward degree completion. Sincerely, Mary Smith’ will suffice.)
- 3 Professional References
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Indicate 3 internship placement sites matching your professional development goals. You can review a list of former BHWET site placements here. *Note: not all sites on this example list are currently active, and the sites that you select do not need to be drawn from this list of past sites.
Instructions for Uploading your Application Materials:
- Submit all materials as two PDF or Word documents:
- Document 1: Letter of Interest and Attestation
- Document 2: CV and References
- Label documents accordingly: last name, first name, first four letters of your home department, LOI or CV (e.g., Smith, Mary, COUN, LOI)
Contacts
Dr. Mary-Ann Sontag, Project Director: mary-ann.sontag@umt.edu
Tim Schehl, Program Manager: tim.schehl@umt.edu